Wild flowers

The red European poppies were flowering in the fields on road verges for most of last month, but I’ve posted about poppies every April and May, here and here; this year there is something else red flowering in the fields all around the house.  Do you remember that a few years ago almost every show garden at Chelsea had red clover (Trifolium incarnatum)? The farmers here must have been inspired (I jest – this has always been a planted to improve the soil and I think make good hay for the sheep and cows (not absolutely sure about that).

Trifolium incarnatum with Vetch

Trifolium incarnatum

ploughed soil and a line of clover

St. Bernard’s Lily Anthericum liliago

This delicate looking plant was growing wild in my friends garden; if it were in mine I’d move some to a border where they could be enjoyed.

Above and below:

While visiting a friend’s garden I saw a plant I’ve heard of but never seen before, Cerinthe major is well known in its purple form but the wild yellow form is never planted in gardens as far as I know.

Cerinthe

With all the rain this year so far, I’m thinking of renaming 2013 as the year of the snail!  I have many more than normal in my garden this year, but nothing like the number my friend has in hers; these are all gathered on one poor rose bud.

May Feast – growing wild

Those of you who visited the Chelsea about 8 years ago will remember that almost every garden had a planting of red clover; here in the countryside around Viterbo the farmers use red clover as a means of adding goodness to the soil; it is also very pretty!